Many dental and orthodontic procedures require accurate three-dimensional (3D) topographical measurements of a patient's intraoral cavity. For example, in the design and fabrication of dental prostheses (e.g., crowns or bridges), 3D models of the prosthesis site and surrounding dentition are typically used to ensure proper fit of the prosthesis. In many orthodontic procedures, 3D models of the patient's dental arches are utilized to design orthodontic appliances and develop treatment plans (e.g., to correct malocclusions). Various approaches can be used to produce such 3D models. For example, a physical model can be constructed from an impression of the patient's dentition. Alternatively, the intraoral cavity can be scanned to provide a virtual model suitable for use within computer-assisted design and computer-assisted manufacture (CAD/CAM) methods as well as digital treatment planning.
Scanning of the intraoral cavity may be performed by a dental or orthodontic practitioner. Previous methods and systems for scanning the intraoral cavity, however, can be less than ideal with regards to providing guidance to the dental or orthodontic practitioner during the scanning procedure. As a result, incomplete scanning coverage or insufficient overlap between scans may reduce the accuracy of the subsequent digital model. Conversely, excessive overlap between scans can be inefficient and unnecessarily lengthen the duration of the scanning procedure.
Thus, there is a need for improved methods and systems for scanning an intraoral cavity of a patient.